The Promise
by Angel1188
Summary: Alternate timeline. Zidane is left petrified within Evil Forest, leaving Blank to fill his role. What changes will be made to the storyline? Will there be true love for Dagger and Zidane in the end? Will the world even survive without Zidane's presence?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes: Welcome! It's been an extremely long time since I sat down to write a story, or pretty much anything for pleasure. The idea came to me when I was re-playing Final Fantasy 9 over Christmas and it's been sticking with me so I thought I'd see where it went. Even I'm not sure how it'll end, but then again, that's half the fun! It is essentially a what-if scenario based on the premise of Zidane getting trapped within the Evil Forest instead of Blank. How would that change the story? Would Dagger still become the woman that she did in the game? Are Zidane and Dagger still meant to find love in the end? Will there even be a world left for anyone to enjoy without Zidane's presence in it? I do hope that you enjoy it, and if you have any questions or comments feel free to get in touch with me. **

_The Promise_

_Chapter 1: Retracing Footsteps_

The trees quivered within the Evil Forest, leaves shaking, branching leaning down to whip at the retreating party. The earth cracked, crumbling away from ancient burrows as minions of the Plant Brain arose to seek revenge. The air smelled of anger and retribution.

Four figures ran as if their lives depended on each step forward – a fact that was true. Each step took them closer to the fading light at the entrance of the forest, a step towards being able to draw another breath or live another day. In the lead was a tall, looming figure clad entirely in battle-worn armor. In his arms he gently clasped a pale, dark-haired girl who lapsed in and out of consciousness. Behind them hurried a small black mage of blue attire and a drooping hat. Though far shorter than anyone else in the party, he moved with a surprising speed. They started to draw away from the final two of the group.

A blond-haired youth with lightly tanned skin and a tail came to a halt as he looked around the forest, a perplexed look crossing his boyishly appealing features. His companion, a brunette just slightly taller than his companion came to a anxious halt next to him.

"What are you doin'?!" the brunette, Blank, asked as he gasped for air.

"Something's wrong…" Zidane, the blond, replied shaking his head.

"What?"

""The entire forest is coming after us. Blank... Take care of everyone."

Zidane took off at a run after that, not giving his friend a chance to reply, but Blank just stared at the empty spot where his friend had stood, his brow wrinkled. _What did he mean by that? _Blank wondered as he took off at a run after the rapidly moving group.

Diminishing sunlight poured through the large gap in the trees, promising a way out. The armor-clad knight, Steiner, and the small black mage, Vivi, made the final mad dash out of the forest and into the open air, both turning to stare back to those who still had not found their freedom.

"Hurry!" Vivi shouted, waving his small arms around. "Hurry!"

It took no encouragement for both Zidane and Blank to pick up the pace. Blank, with his longer legs, began to slowly overtake Zidane, but he reached out to grab the blond by the arm and jerk him onward. Behind them a large swarm of Plant Spiders stampeded, mandibles snapping at the prospect of gathering a meal.

Zidane risked a brief glance over his shoulder to the enemy behind him and blanched. It wasn't just a herd of Plant Spiders. Even as they ran, many started to fall to the ground, victim to the entire forest's slow petrification. "Blank, go!" he shouted.

Blank only gave a small cursory nod to show that he had heard, focusing all of his attention on his speed and dodging the vine-like arms that snaked out of nowhere to try and stop his escape. He didn't stop to look behind him, or to watch his friend's heroic and idiotic defense.

It had only taken a moment's thought before Zidane turned hard on his heel, sliding a few inches as he pulled out his twin daggers in preparation for the onslaught. The flashes of steel arced down to block and attack simultaneously. He drew the attention of the monsters, allowing Blank the briefest opportunity to escape, even as the petrification chased at his heels.

Blank came tumbling out of the forest, immediately turning around to look for Zidane, but saw no blond hair running towards him. Still fairly deep within the forest were the now stone statues of a proud youth making an impossible stand against a large onslaught of monsters. But even this was a brief vision to be burned into his memory as the snaking vines tangled themselves together, forming a solid petrified barrier between the Evil Forest and the outside world.

Rising on unsteady legs, Blank moved towards the entrance, banging a fist. "Damnit, Zidane!" he shouted. "Damn you. You had to go be a hero again…"

"Mister Blank?" Vivi asked hesitantly, coming up beside the grieving thief.

Silence was his only response.

"This is all of your fault! You and that insidious monkey," Steiner raged, coming up on the other side of Blank, even as he still carried the unconscious Garnet in his arms "If you had not tried to kidnap the princess, none of this would have happened. And now Evil Forest has become completely petrified."

Blank whipped around, an anger filming in his eyes. "You wanna start something with me?" he growled, one hand grasping for the sword at his side.

"Guys…" Vivi meekly mumbled. But the two larger men would not be swayed from their snarling.

"Once we return to the palace, I shall see you hanged!" Steiner fumed.

Blank merely laughed. "You're a long way from the palace now, Rusty," he said mockingly. "How exactly do you plan to get back there? You're surrounded by mountains in every direction and last I heard, North and South Gate were closed. Not to mention the princess is too weak to move. She hasn't even woken up yet. So what's your great plan so you can see me hanged?"

"I just… Um… You…" Steiner fumbled for his words, but fell into silence as he felt Garnet stir in his arms.

"Oh…" came a weak voice as Garnet's dark brown eyes slowly fluttered open. "What happened? How did we make It out of there alive? Steiner?"

Steiner slowly let the weak princess back down to her feet before falling to his knees before her. "It is my sworn duty to protect you, Princess."

"I thank you, then," Garnet replied with a soft smile.

"What are you talking about? If it hadn't been for Zidane, none of us would be here," Blank snorted. "To say nothing of my sword and Vivi's black magic. That rusted bucket had nothing to do with it."

"Why you…" Steiner started, but was cut off by Garnet raising a hand.

"I thank all of you," Garnet whispered. "But I must rest. I am greatly fatigued."

"I shall stand guard over you, Princess. Never fear," Steiner said, rising slowly to his feet. "Come, rest by the fire until you are healthy enough to travel."

***

Blank stood in silence in front of the Petrified Forest, arms crossed over his chest. "Damnit, Zidane… Why'd you have to do that?"

Silence was his answer.

"Is this really the Evil Forest?" came the sweet voice of Garnet. She moved slowly, a fatigue still weighing down her face, but it did nothing to diminish her breathtaking beauty. Blank had to tear his gaze away from her seemingly endless brown eyes before responding. "Yeah, I think so. How are you feeling, Your Highness?"

"Much better now, thank you," Garnet said with a nod. "Your friend…? He was the one that saved us?" she asked hesitantly.

"His name was Zidane. Zidane Tribal. He was a brother and a friend," Blank said roughly.

"I did not know him well, but he seemed to be a very good person." Garnet smiled faintly. "He promised to kidnap me." She studied Blank's face a bit closer. "You were with him that night. You helped him succeed in the kidnapping, didn't you?"

"Yeah… the entire gang was there to help with it," Blank shrugged. "We were all just following orders. But Zidane. He has to do things differently and he had to go be a hero with you from the get-go. He could never say no to a pretty girl."

"Well… I must thank him for it," Garnet replied with a sigh. "He helped so much, and did his best to protect me, even though it was not his duty. I… I have to get to Lindblum. I cannot tell you why, but it is of the utmost importance."

Blank stood silently for a moment and then nodded. "In honor of Zidane, I'll get you to Lindblum, Your Highness. No questions asked."

Garnet bowed to Blank. "Thank you," was her soft response.

"If you'll excuse me. I'm going to go warm up and get something to eat," Blank said. "I wouldn't stay too close to the Forest by yourself though. Never know what evils it'll try and through at you."

"I shall take utmost care," Garnet promised. "I shall return to the fire soon."

Blank just nodded and walked back to the small camp, leaving Garnet to her thoughts.

"Why did you help me?" Garnet whispered, staring up at the massive, petrified trees. "It was so peculiar. It was as if I had known you from a previous lifetime. You were a familiar friend even before I knew your name. Zidane…" She sighed.

Garnet took a step back, rubbing at the back of her neck. "Are we truly just meeting for the first time? In another life, perhaps you had made it out of that forest alive and we could have known each other better. Been friends. But that will not be now. We cannot risk waking the Evil Forest again… I am certain that you would agree. Though one day, perhaps… one day I can help save you the way that you saved me."

The royal heir to the Alexandrian throne stepped further back and took a bow to the entrance, in her mind seeing the laughing face of the blond-haired young man. "Good bye, Zidane. And thank you."

**End Notes: Well, that's Chapter 1! I know it was probably a bit boring but I'm still trying to get back into the feel of this. Next Chapter will be the Ice Cavern and possibly the beginnings of Dali. We'll also get a chance to make up some background and history for Blank. Maybe even give the poor man a last name. I'd love your comments and praise (hopefully) in some reviews! Thanks and happy new year. **


	2. Into the Ice

**Author's Notes: Hi everyone! Sorry about the delay in updating. I've been sitting on this chapter for some time now and adding a couple paragraphs here and there when I could but classes really get you down at times. Either way, we're back in business (I hope) and the next update will hopefully be coming in a much more timely manner. **

**Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me. I just use their characters for my personal amusement, and (hypothetically) the enjoyment of other people. **

_The Promise_

_Chapter 2: Into the Ice_

"How are we going to get out of this Mist?" Steiner whined, pacing anxiously around the fire. "It cannot be good for the Princess' health. And considering her already fragile state, we cannot take risks."

"According to my map, there's a cavern not too far from here. It _should_ take us above the Mist," Blank responding, jabbing a portion of the map energetically. "If we can get above the Mist, we should be able to find an airship to take us to Lindblum," he added, nodding towards Garnet.

"Lindblum? You scruffy thief, we are returning to the castle!" Steiner said angrily, turning to shake a fist at Blank. "And there you will be hanged for kidnapping the Princess! Enjoy your freedom while you can."

"Steiner." Garnet said firmly. "I left the palace of my own accord and have no intention of returning there now. It is very important that I reach Lindblum swiftly."

"That's right!" Blank said. "And we're gonna get you there as fast as we can, Princess. Just leave it all to me."

"My thanks, Blank," Garnet said, smiling for the dark-haired man.

"Um…" Vivi said meekly from his side of the fire. "Can I come with you all to Lindblum? I don't have anywhere else to go."

"Why of course, Master Vivi. Your presence is much more welcomed than this dirty thief," Steiner said, beckoning Vivi closer. "We shall rely on your black magic to make our way through this awful Mist."

The rest of the morning was spent in relative silence. First Blank, then Garnet and finally Vivi took their turns in front of the Evil Forest, saying a quiet good bye to Zidane. Steiner resolutely refused to have any words for their unlikely savior and sat stoically by the fire until everyone else was prepared to leave.

"So we'll just head due south," Blank explained to Garnet, holding the map out for her inspection. "I've never been to through this cavern, but it should take us out somewhere near the Lindblum border. And from there, we can either try to cross on foot or find an airship to take us across."

"I see…" Garnet said slowly. "I have faith in you, Blank, to find a way to Lindblum."

Despite the relatively close proximity to the cavern, the journey from the Evil Forest took almost the entire day due to the heavy strain of monsters that attacked the party and Garnet's relative weakness because of her ordeal within the Evil Forest. Because of this, they had to break almost every hour to rest and regain some strength.

At about midday, Blank called another break, settling in a small cluster of trees to offer a small piece of protection from both the sun and monsters.

Steiner, despite having served in the Alexandrian army for eighteen years, flopped himself down ungracefully, removing his helmet and heaving out a loud breath. "What a long, exhausting day…" he grumbled. "And it seems as though we barely moved at all from the God-forsaken Evil Forest."

"It's slow going, but it always is when you're in the Mist," Blank replied, tugging off a boot. "Garnet, I never knew the royal heir to the Alexandrian throne could use magic… does it run in your family?"

"No other relative that I can think of has a command of either the White Magic or the Eidolons…" Garnet said slowly. "I am unsure of where my abilities came from, but I am thankful for it."

"Eidolons? The mythical creatures from the summoning tribes?" Blank asked in light amazement. "You can summon them? I'm impressed. Zidane really knew how to pick 'em…" He was halfway through a laugh before it caught on the edge of his lips and he sighed.

"What are Eidolons? And summoning tribes?" Vivi asked curiously, propping his elbows up on his knees.

"The Eidolons are creatures, as Blank stated, who can be summoned to the aid of the summoner. It takes a great deal of learning and skill before you can safely summon an Eidolon without doing yourself or the Eidolon harm," Garnet explained, turning to look at Vivi. "In many cases, the ability to summon Eidolons falls down through the generations, and remained within certain families. In the past, these families would gather together and form tribes to tend to each other and ensure that the magic was never diluted. But the summoning tribes disappeared and all record of them wiped from history. It is very odd."

"So where do you fit into all of this?" Blank asked lazily, wiggling his bare toes in the grass.

"I do not know the origins of my summoning, as I stated, but is an innate ability. It takes learning in order to accomplish the feat safely, but learning alone cannot make one a summoner. You must be born with the blood," Garnet further explained. "It is a blood that the Eidolons can recognize and communicate with. When you summon, it sings through your blood, similar to when you cast spells, only it is stronger. The feeling reverberates through your entire body until the creature comes forth. It can be both a thrilling and frightening feeling."

"But you haven't summoned anything since we started on our trip…" Vivi said slowly. "Can you only summon them at certain times, or when you're in a specific type of danger?"

Garnet was silent for a moment before she responded. "I do not summon often," she said. "It is a gift for emergencies. Besides, it greatly weakens me to the point where I cannot even use white magic. You must always be careful when summoning because it relies on your specific strength. I must grow stronger before trying to summon in seriousness, or with so much on the line."

Blank looked about the small group, taking everyone in. Garnet sat gracefully in the grass, her slender legs stretched out before her. He had not noticed before this moment what a lovely set of legs the Princess had, or how well they were shown through the orange jumpsuit and blouse combination that she wore. Her title as Alexandria's most beautiful Princess was not exaggerated. Vivi was seated not far from Garnet, crouched down as he shifted his gaze between Garnet and the grass. Steiner, their knight protector, had fallen asleep during their conversation on Eidolons and was flat on his back, snoring noisily.

"Jeez, I don't envy who has to share a tent with Rusty tonight," Blank said, motioning to Steiner. "It sounds like he's murdering Mus…"

Garnet laughed, shaking her head. "Will we be forced to camp out this evening?" she asked plaintively.

"For your own safety, Garnet, we will camp outside of the Cavern," Blank replied. "We shouldn't explore caves when it's dark out. Too dangerous. It is in the evenings that the Mist is the strongest, and the monsters come out in full force. But if we build a small enough camp, we'll be just fine. They're too stupid to bother tents usually."

A perplexed look appeared on Garnet's face as she nodded slowly. "I see… though I admit curiosity as to why the tents offer protection. They are so incredibly lightweight."

Blank chuckled, "It's a logic I haven't figured out myself." He sat in silence for a moment and then rose to his feet, reaching down to offer Garnet a hand up. "We should start moving again. I want to at least make it to the cavern before the sun sets and I'd say we still have another few hours to go."

Garnet very hesitantly reached out to grasp Blank's hand, her slender fingers enveloped by the larger, rougher set. Though he typically wore gloves, at their break he had shed them as quickly as his boots. It was the first time she had ever really had skin-to-skin contact with a man not related to her and it sent a small shiver down her spine.

"I… I thank you," Garnet said, her voice shaking slightly as she looked up to Blank. His six-foot frame, though still lean, easily overshadowed her petite five foot two.

"Are you alright?" Blank asked, looking confused. He watched her briefly and then shrugged. "Why don't you go rouse Vivi and Steiner while I map out our best course of action," he suggested, pointing to the still sleeping knight and the dozing mage.

As Garnet moved off to comply with is orders, Blank sank back down into the grass to pull on his boots, slowly flexing the hand that had come in contact with hers, a strange smile resting on his lips.

***

_He is so unusual…_ Garnet thought to herself as they walked along the valley. _He is practical, yet adventuresome. Strong, yet gentle._ She smiled as she watched Blank walk ahead of her, studying the map in earnest.

The entire group was snapped out of their private thoughts as two pythons came slithering up to the group, tails lashing angrily behind them as a sure sign of an imminent battle. They hissed, but kept a small distance as they examined their prey.

Blank was quickly to arms, withdrawing his sword with his own hiss of metal against metal. He was swift, calculated, and above all else, calm in the sight of danger.

"Garnet, stand back and heal as needed. Vivi, I need you to focus ice magic to the python on the left. Steiner, you and I will take the one on the right," Blank shouted, bobbing back and forth, looking for an opening. "Everyone, go!"

Despite Steiner's lack of respect for Blank, he could see a born leader when he saw one and nodded to the directions, heaving out his own broadsword with a grunt. With a swift battle cry, he launched himself at the python, swinging the heavy blade down across its back, drawing a greenish blood.

It was a swift battle that ended in triumph. And as they did a brief victory dance, a third python slithered up behind them, its cold yellow gaze focused on Garnet.

Blank half turned to pull Garnet into the bright mood of festivity for a battle so easily won when he noticed the danger of the third python.

"Garnet, look out!" Blank shouted, sprinting towards her while drawing on the small dagger he kept tucked away on the back of his belt for emergencies. His sword was too hefty to draw and run at the same time.

Garnet looked around her and stumbled backwards with a swift cry of fright as the python loomed above her. But the strike never landed on her body. Blank had barreled himself into the python's body, forcing it away from the frightened princess. He rolled around, wrestling the monster to a safe distance away from Garnet before springing back to his feet, dagger in hand.

The python hissed furiously, a long line of greenish blood dripping from its side. It lashed out at Blank, who raised the dagger to block before reaching out with his other hand to grasp the hilt of his sword, heaving it out in a swift, practiced motion. There was such a power to it that as he brought it across the python's flesh, he actually cleaved it in two. The pieces wriggled uselessly for a solid minute for finally fading themselves into the blood-soaked grass.

Blank leaned heavily upon his sword, holding onto the wound just below his left elbow with a grimace. He was usually more careful in his attacks to avoid wounds such as these, but he had thrown caution to the wind upon seeing Garnet almost attacked.

"Damn…" he muttered under his breath as the rest of the party gathered around him.

"Are you alright, Blank?" Vivi asked, his golden eyes wide in concern.

"Yeah… I'm great," Blank replied hoarsely. "Let's get moving again."

"You are not alright," Garnet argued. "Just look at your arm. Come here and let me heal you."

Blank grimaced once more but obeyed his commands and slunk over to Garnet. "It's nothing, really… I've had far worse." His words contradicted the look of pain that was ravaging across his face, or the flush that had started to appear.

Garnet's touch against his bare arm was light as she probed the wound. She frowned, but concentrated harder on it. Her fingers ran up and down the entire length of his arm, and she privately marveled at the sculpted muscle before returning her attention to the matter at hand.

"It's infected," she finally stated. "There must have been a venom in its attack that is now flooding your system. We have to set up camp here for the night and let Blank recover his strength."

"No, we have to keep going," Blank replied, shaking his head. "Just use a cure on me or something. It'll be fine."

"It's only a short term relief. The venom, unless it has a chance to be slowly removed from your body, will continue to weaken you until your systems start to shut down," Garnet argued. "Even with Panacea, it's risky to keep moving…"

"Just do it, Garnet," Blank snapped. "We're wasting time. It's not far to the cavern anyway. Maybe an hour or two."

Garnet bristled under the harsh tone but stepped closer and rested a hand just above the wound. There was a soft glow from her fingertips before the entire area was covered in a warm light. The wound looked less sickly and green, but still had an inflamed look to it. She sighed and then cast cure on Blank to seal the wound up.

"This is a bad idea…" Garnet muttered, tossing back her long black hair. "You will be in so much pain by the end of traveling today that you will wish to just run yourself through on your sword."

"Princess! Those are words hardly suited for one of such royal stature," Steiner scolded of his charge, but turned to Blank. "Her Highness is correct, however. I have experienced the agony of traveling while poisoned, and without the soothing abilities of a white mage at my side. You should listen to what she has to say."

Blank just shook his head. "Everyone start moving. There's a lot of ground we need to make up. I don't want to hear anymore about this stupid wound or how much pain I may be in by the time we stop."

Silence was his answer. But that response was enough for Blank. He hefted himself back onto his feet, grunting as he slowly rotated his arm. "Let's go. With luck, we can shave the trip down to an hour and a half."

***

"So this is the cavern…" Steiner said, looking as far up as he could. Mist clung to the edges of the cliff rock, but sunlight could be seen glinting through the haze.

"Um…" Vivi said hesitantly as he plodded up from examining one of the flowers frozen by ice. "Have you all heard of the Ice Cavern? It's supposed to be near the Evil Forest."

"I've heard of it," Garnet chimed in, though she kept a worried eye on Blank who was clearly favoring the injured arm, keeping it cradled against his body. "It is supposed to be a beautiful place covered entirely by ice. Do you think this is it?"

Vivi nodded. "My grandpa told me about this place. He said it would take travelers above the Mist."

"Bravo!" Steiner said, waving a triumphant fist. "Master Vivi's grandfather must be quite a scholar. We shall have to thank him upon our return to Alexandria."

"My grandpa used to teach me lots of things, but he passed away…" Vivi said. Though there was no way to gauge the expression on his face, sadness radiated from him.

"My apologies, Master Vivi, I did not know…" Steiner stammered, bowing his head.

"It's okay…" Vivi replied, adjusting his hat. "You didn't know."

Garnet studied the entrance to the cavern in great detail before finally nodding. "We should set up a camp over there," she said, pointing towards a corner that was sheltered by two cliffs and had the advantage of a small overhang. "Steiner? Can you and Vivi see to the camp?"

Steiner saluted. "At once, Princess."

The princess smiled before turning to focus her attention on Blank, hands rising to rest on her hips. "Sit down, Blank. _Please_." The final word was ground out with as much civility as she could muster, though anger and annoyance still crept in.

Blank half collapsed onto a low rock ledge, ignoring the creeping cold that started to seep into the seat of his pants from the snow.

"Let me see your arm," Garnet instructed, carefully removing her gloves and tucking them into her belt.

The thief reluctantly stuck out the injured arm, wincing as Garnet's expression darkened.

"Oh, Blank…" Garnet said with a sigh. She reached out slowly to touch the inflamed wound, which was threatening to reopen.

As her gently probing fingers touched the wound, Blank jerked back his arm with a hiss. "Damn it, that hurt!"

"If you had simply listened to me earlier, this would not have happened…" Garnet said with a sigh. "I will do what I can, but even magic cannot fix everything. I think I can heal it, but you will always suffer a pain in that arm. You should be fortunate that it is not your sword arm. You must hold very still… what I am going to do will help a great deal, but you will feel agony while I do it."

Blank just nodded, holding out his arm again. "Just do what you have to do. I trust you, Garnet."

"May I see your knife?" Garnet asked, holding out a hand.

"Knife? Oh, you mean my dagger?" Blank replied, reaching slowly behind him to unsheath said item. "All knives this size are called daggers. Those a bit longer are called short swords. If you have a sword that you have to grasp with both hands…"

"Yes, thank you…" Garnet interrupted. "Your dagger then." She offered a reassuring smile. "I have read many books on medicine and specifically field medicine," she explained. "Though I was never allowed, the art of healing has always held a great interest to me. It is one reason it gladdens me that I was given the gift of white magic."

"Maybe that's why you were given the gift of white magic," Blank pointed out, gently laying the hilt of the dagger in Garnet's waiting hand. "I think you were always meant to be more than just the Princess of Alexandria, even though that's important too…"

Garnet offered Blank a soft smile, one full of gentleness and perhaps even a hint of affection. "Thank you, Blank… you have always been so kind to me, even though you did not have to be. I apologize for any trouble that I may have caused, or for any hurts that may fall upon my shoulders."

Blank just shook his head. "It's nothing, Garnet. You can believe that kidnapping you has been the most interesting my life has gotten in a very long time. And that's saying something. Go ahead and do what you need to do. Before Rusty and Vivi finish making camp."

Garnet nodded and gently grasped Blank's arm just below the wound with a surprising strength. "The poison is festering beneath the skin," she explained as she pressed the knife-point against the beginning of the wound. Normally, she would have been concerned about the dagger being sanitary, but she had watched earlier how carefully Blank had cleaned his blades.

"Be still…" Garnet murmured. "This will hurt, I know."

True to her words, in the next instant, Garnet dug the sharp edge down into the barely closed over wound, neatly cutting it from end to end. Instead of blood spilling free, it was a dark stain of foulness. The venom from the earlier python had practically curdled the blood, giving off a strong stench that would roll the stomach. Blank groaned in pain as the remains of the blood ran free.

"I will have to bleed you… we must get the last of the venom out," Garnet said quietly. "I fear you will become feverish soon… I suppose it is good that we are camped near the Ice Cavern. No worries of finding you cold compresses." She cracked a weak smile before gently brushing her fingers over the open wound, completely ignoring the blood that stained her fingers.

"Panacea…" Garnet murmured, casting the spell directly into the bloodstream. She sat in silence for the next five minutes before casting the spell again. And then again. She continued to repeat this process until Steiner returned to their side.

"Princess…" Steiner said quietly, careful to not wake Blank who had fallen into a restless doze. "We have set up the camp and gotten a small fire going. You should rest now."

Garnet shook her head, "Someone must watch over Blank," she replied. "Do you think you could carry him to the fire? He must be kept warm through this evening while given regular courses of cure and panacea. If all goes well, his blood should be clean by tomorrow, or at least enough that he can travel safely."

"If it were not for your wisdom and foresight, Princess, I am sure he would have been dead by now," Steiner said in earnest. "The thief now owes you his life."

"Hush, Steiner," Garnet scolded quietly. "We are now even. He saved my life, and now I have saved his. There is no debt for such a thing."

Steiner shook his head, "But Princess! If it had not been for those thieves, you would not have needed rescuing in the first place."

Garnet merely shrugged her shoulders, rising slowly to her feet. With a silent motion of her hand, Steiner bent to pick up Blank and carry him back to the camp, settling him before the fire. The princess stood and watched from afar before turning her back and looking in the direction that Alexandria Castle stood.

"Mother… why did you fire on the theater ship? How could you have let so many people be hurt? All just to save me?" Garnet whispered to herself, her head bowing down. She shook her head, and turned to follow Steiner towards the camp.

***

"Okay!" Blank said triumphantly, standing in front of the Ice Cavern. "In we go." He slowly flexed his injured arm, scowling to himself.

"Are you sure you're okay, Blank?" Vivi asked, tilting his head to the side.

"No, Vivi, I'm okay," Blank replied. "Last night did a lot of good. My arm is just going to be sore for a little while, so don't you worry about a thing. It was my own fault for not stopping when Garnet said that we should have." He even sketched a small bow towards the Alexandrian Princess as he spoke.

Garnet offered Blank a slightly startled look but bowed in return.

"Is there a reason you insist on keeping the Princess in this abominably cold location for a reason?" Steiner asked testily as he teetered up to the rest of the group. "This weather will not be good for the Princess's health. Please, let us carry on."

"Steiner's right. Let's get moving people!" Blank agreed. He shivered slightly and led the way forward into the ice.


	3. An Icy Welcome

**Author's Notes: I'm really trying to actually stay updated on this. Work and classes just always suck the life out of you it seems. But we're back now for Chapter 3. My original plan had been to have all of the Ice Cavern fall into Chapter 2 but I got a bit wordy and figured I should just update with what I had. But now we shall conclude the adventure of the Ice Cavern! This, I think, is where it will really start to divert from the original storyline. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy. I just like playing with it in my free time. **

_The Promise_

_Chapter 3: An Icy Welcome_

"What made this place?" Garnet asked as they moved through the rooms of the Cavern. Indeed, each section appeared to be more of a diamond dripped room of frozen beauty than a natural phenomenon. "It is almost like a palace. As grand and as beautiful as Alexandria or Lindblum…"

Blank twirled his dagger on the edge of his finger as they walked. "Legend says that the Ice Cavern was once home to the Eidolon, Shiva. She was said to have raised the entire Cavern as a symbol for her power… I've heard that most Eidolons had a home before being called to a summoner?" He looked towards Garnet for clarification.

"I never would have thought you would be such a scholar, Blank," Garnet replied with a smile. "It is true that scholars hypothesized that the Eidolons would take a place for themselves and create something to represent it as their own. It would stand to reason that Shiva's place of power could have been the Ice Cavern."

"Then we should tread carefully. Never know what an Eidolon might do to us for tramping on their property," Blank muttered, picking up the pace slightly.

Vivi listened; enraptured by the tales Garnet and Blank wove for each other, and hastened to keep up with them.

Steiner took up the rear, shivering each time his armor landed on a bare patch of skin. He was ill-equipped for such an environment and was suffering for it as a result. His attack time was slower and the Knight was beginning to feel guilty for having to rely on a thief and a child to help him in his duty of protecting the Princess. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed them until this entire fiasco was at an end.

"Huh…" Blank said, stopping the party. "This room is different than the others. It's more closed off and almost _warm_."

Garnet followed Blank closely, still rubbing her hands against her arms. "Warmer? Perhaps a little but…" She broke off, frowning.

"Princess?" Steiner asked patiently. "Do you feel something?"

"A magical presence. A… it is peculiar," Garnet finally replied. She left off in keeping herself warm in order to move slowly about the small room. At the center was a large block so thick it was almost impossible to see if there was something at the center. "Each time I think I feel something, it slips away. May I have a few moments to myself?"

"Princess…" Steiner repeated, shaking his head. "It is my duty to protect you."

"Come on, Steiner, we'll be right outside the door," Blank pointed out. "Nothing can get to her except through the doorway. We've got it covered." He slapped the Knight on the back companionably and led Vivi out, giving Steiner no option but to follow along grumpily.

"Shiva…" Garnet whispered to herself. Her hands folded together in front of her as she concentrated. "Shiva…"

"What is it, little one?" came the voice all at once feminine and masculine. It spoke of great age and wisdom, but also of one who knew the follies of youth and joy. It was beautiful and terrifying.

"What do I feel?" Garnet murmured. "Why do I feel this?"

"Feel what?" asked the disembodied voice.

"A presence. A malevolence. Darkness?" Garnet pressed her lips together in frustration. "I've never been able to feel anything like this before. Why now?"

"Because you are aided by my power in the very seat of my being," the voice replied. "Use it. Let it guide you as you see fit. My power will protect you, little one, until you are strong enough to protect yourself. Just trust in both you and me."

Garnet looked both annoyed and relieved as she moved through the doorway, nudging Blank gently on the side. "We should keep moving, though with caution. I feel a darker presence ahead of us that we should be wary of."

"Righto, Captain Garnet!" Blank said, snapping into a brisk salute. "If you feel anything, just let me know, okay? We'll do what we can to protect you from danger."

They continued onward until they found themselves pressed back by a raging snowstorm from where there seemed to be no beginning. Each member of the team struggled forward, fighting the unknown element as best they could.

Vivi was the first to succumb, teetering out of control and down into a small pit. Steiner, who moved over as quickly as he could totter, gave a ground-shaking tumble down next to the small mage and then was still.

"Oh no! What is happening?" Garnet asked breathlessly, pressing her hands as tightly as she could against her arms.

"Stay there, Garnet," Blank said gruffly as he jumped down to check the pulses of both Vivi and Steiner. "Man, they're out cold…" He shook his head and looked up. "Garnet? Oh man, not you too…"

The Princess has slumped down into the snow, now completely unmoving.

"Damnit… what's going on?" Blank muttered before a strange pressure in his head began to form until all he saw was blackness.

***

_"You idiot," a voice said disapprovingly. _

_"I didn't do it," Blank responded, shaking his head. It felt stuffy, weighed down by pressure and regrets. _

_A figure emerged from darkness. Zidane. "I give you a chance with Garnet and you managed to screw up already." _

_"Give me?" Blank asked, lifting one brow skeptically. "I don't think you gave me anything, bub. Don't be jealous just because she likes me." _

_Zidane scoffed. "Like you or not, you failed her now." _

_"How so?" _

_"You let yourself be caught off guard and now look at it. She's gone and you're talking to a dead man." _

_"Gone?" _

_"Gone. Better wake up now and find her." _

"Help her…" A voice whispered into Blank's ear.

"Damnit Zidane, go away…" Blank muttered, rolling over and faceplanting into a pile of snow.

"Help her… they have taken her." The voice began to grow fainter, as if the power was being stretched to its very limit.

"Garnet!" Blank suddenly exclaimed, the thought colliding into the side of his brain. He leapt to his feet, though lacked Zidane's natural graceful ability and tripped over himself and landed back in the snow. "Garnet? Garnet!"

Blank clambered back to his feet and looked about him anxiously. The dark-haired Princess had disappeared, though there were footprints leading further down the path. The storm had disappeared.

"Rusty, Vivi, let's get going!" Blank shouted, nudging both of them out of their stupor. "Garnet's gone."

"Gone?!" Steiner was on his feet immediately, shaking a finger in Blank's direction. "This is all of your fault, thief. We never should have entered this cavern."

"But we had to..." Vivi pointed out meekly. "Let's just go find her."

"Vivi's right. Stop yer whining and show me what you got," Blank said ferociously, scrambling over the edge he had jumped down earlier. "We need to find her before they have the chance to get away."

***

"Oh… where am I?" Garnet murmured, eyes fluttering opening.

"Princess has been caught," one voice giggled.

"Caught the Princess has been," the other replied.

"Zorn? Thorn?" Garnet tried to move but found her arms and legs bound. "What is happening here?" Her eyes tried to focus on her surroundings and she found herself in a quiet, pleasant room. A small fountain gurgled in the center.

"To the Queen you go now," Thorn said.

"You go now to the Queen," Zorn added.

"Whether you like it or not!" the twins said in unison.

"How dare you speak to me in such a manner," Garnet retorted, struggling against her bonds. "I am the Princess Garnet Til Alexandros. You shall untie me this instant allow me to go on my way."

"We have orders from the Queen."

"Orders from the Queen we have."

"We will take you back to the Queen!"

"Blank… where are you?" Garnet whispered to herself, rolling over onto her side.

***

"Sunlight!" Steiner panted, bending down to rest his gauntleted hands against his knees. "At last." He scanned the horizon, scowling darkly. "Which direction will they have taken the Princess?"

"That village…" Blank murmured, running his fingers through his hair. "Probably there. Airships are pretty loud and we would have heard one pass over heard, back towards Alexandria, if that were the case. Let's check there first, and then spread out our search. Besides, we're in desperate need of fresh supplies."

"Blank? Do you think we'll find the Princess?" Vivi asked quietly, tugging on Blank's shirt. "I'm scared."

Blank rested a light hand against Vivi's shoulder and smiled. "Don't you worry, Vivi. We'll find her. And then we'll beat up the guys who took her. That's a promise."

Steiner just gave a grunt and pushed himself upright again. "We should hurry. Any time we waste will make the trail for the Princes grow colder. Onward!"

"For once, Rusty, I'm in complete agreement with you," Blank said, squeezing Vivi's shoulder once more before starting down the path and towards the village.

***

"I demand that you release me at once," Garnet tried again. "And that food be brought to me."

"You do not give the demands here, Princess," Thorn said, shaking a finger at her. "We hold the power now. Silence!"

Garnet quietly fumed, clenching and unclenching her bound hands. _Help me,_ she thought to herself. _Someone. Anyone… Blank…_

_How can someone help you if you cannot help yourself?_ A deeper, darker voice whispered into her head. _Power of the mind over physical prowess, little one._ The voice spoke of age and strength. It sent chills through Garnet's body.

"Bahamut?" Garnet whispered breathlessly. Thorn looked up sharply but then returned to the paper he was fiddling with. In all of her years of carrying the Eidolons inside of her, only Shiva had shown an inclination to speak with her and that was only in the most recent years. The King of the Dragons had never even made so much as a flicker to show his presence.

_The pieces are slowly falling into place, little one,_ Bahamut proclaimed, his power rumbling through her. It was too much for Garnet. She trembled.

_Don't rely on others for the strength you have inside of you…_

The voice and the presence disappeared, leaving Garnet to her own thoughts and mullings. She was the Princess of Alexandria, royal heir to the throne. She was a summoner and white mage. She squared her shoulders and lightly tested the bonds that held her.

Thorn only gave a half interested glance in her direction as she moved. His counterpart had not been seen for over an hour.

Garnet inhaled a deep breath before slowly relaxing her body. _Sleep_. She cast the spell, focusing entirely on Thorn as she did so. In her years of casting, the spell had never taken very effectively to the target, but the court jester slumped down against the small desk, head thumping against the wood.

Panic rose in Garnet for a brief moment before she realized the spell had actually worked and was holding steadily. She swung her legs over the bed and sat up, wincing from her muscles' protest. She looked around the room for anything to use to free herself. Lying near Thorn's twitching hand was a letter opener with an edge possibly just sharp enough to cut through her rope.

With a grunt, Garnet righted herself on her feet and started in the direction of the desk, holding her breath as she came closer.

***

"Seems like a nice enough place…" Blank said as they entered the small village. "But something doesn't feel right. Let's keep this trip short, okay? Just get in to find supplies and then we'll get out. Maybe go see what's over in that observatory."

"Blank, I'm sleepy…" Vivi said. "Do you think we can rest up in the inn a little before we go any further? Just a little bit."

"Master Vivi is correct," Steiner chimed in. "If we are not at our full strength then we will never retrieve the Princess."

Blank nodded. "Looks like I'm out numbered. Let's go see if we can get ourselves a room for the night."

The trio of men entered the small inn, much to the surprise and discomfort of the owner who openly stared at the motley crew. "I, er…" he stammered.

Blank looked to both Vivi and Steiner then frowned. "Hey, I know he looks weird in the armor, but it's rude to stare," he said gruffly. "We want a room for the night."

"We're full at the moment, I'm sorry, sir," the owner said anxiously, glancing towards the door that would lead to the rooms. "No vacancies at the moment!"

Blank, Steiner and Vivi all looked flabbergasted by the rude treatment and were slowly backing towards the exit when the room door swung open, revealing Garnet. She looked a bit disheveled but in good order, otherwise.

"Pri-" Steiner was cut off as Blank cast him a dirty look. "Ah… Miss. Are you alright?"

Blank rolled his eyes and sprang forward to take Garnet by the arm, staring intently into her eyes. Garnet was the first to look away, a slight blush rising on her cheeks. "I have a desire for a warm meal. Would you gentlemen perhaps guide me to the closest restaurant?" she asked politely.

With their lost princess found, the foursome exited the inn and hurried down the main street until they found an alley to duck into.

"Princess," Steiner said breathlessly. "Are you alright? We were certain that we had lost you for good."

"Yes, Steiner, I am alright," Garnet replied, studying her hands. "But we must be on our way as quickly as possible. It would be unsafe to remain in this village for the time being."

Blank stared hard at Garnet, but instead nodded, looking around the small group. "Garnet's right. We need to get out of here. I'd say the best bet is to get on that airship and go to wherever it's headed. We can regroup from there."

"I will see if we can procure a ride from the next incoming airship!" Steiner stated abruptly. "As much as I dislike saying it, Blank, you must protect the Princess in the mean time."

Vivi stood listening to the others, but his attention was more on watching the other children playing on the main street.

"Vivi," Blank said, snapping his fingers in the young boy's face. "You okay? Kinda zoned out on us for a minute…"

The black mage just nodded and adjusted his hat. "I'm okay, Blank. What were you saying?"

"We were saying that Steiner's going to go on ahead to the mountain to check on the next airship while we gather supplies and then lay low," Blank explained. "I was asking if you wanted to stay with us, or go with Steiner and watch his back."

Vivi shook his head. "I'll stay with you, Blank. I don't think these people like me very much…"

Blank patted Vivi's shoulder. "Just your imagination, kid. Don't worry. But now we have to worry about you, Garnet. It's dangerous for you to be going around like you are. Just look at the Ice Cavern. We almost lost you for good."

"I have been trying…" Garnet said, hanging her head. "It is hard, however."

"Your royal upbringing is not easily disguised, Princess," Steiner pointed out gently. "You cannot deny what you are."

"Might be easier if you had another identity. At least for the time being, though," Blank pointed out. "They're looking for the Princess of Alexandria, not a peasant girl traveling with a group of other people."

Garnet pondered this idea for several long moments, tapping at her chin. "You are correct, Blank. I do need a new name and identity. I don't want to just be a Princess. I want to be stronger, be able to protect and defend those I care for."

"Princess, it is not your duty to fight," Steiner pointed out gently. "I am here to defend you. You needn't worry over your own safety."

"No, Rusty, she's right," Blank pointed out. "She's gotta learn to defend herself, at least a little. We can't always be there to protect her. We can try, but look what happened already. She got kidnapped and there was nothing we could do to stop that. Probably nothing we could do to stop it again."

Garnet smiled at Blank and stepped in towards him, her gloved hand sliding down to his belt. Both of them tensed and froze for a moment, staring at each other, before Garnet withdrew the dagger from Blank's sheath.

"This is a dagger, is it not?" Garnet asked, studying the small blade.

"Princess, be careful. It's a sharp weapon," Steiner warned.

"Yep. That's a dagger," Blank agreed. "I keep it just in case an enemy gets too close for my sword to be of any use. Zidane specialized in fighting with daggers…"

There was a painful silence as Zidane was mentioned but as it passed, Garnet nodded. "I've decided. My new name shall be Dagger. It represents what I would like to become. A defense to be used when necessary, but still able to act first."

"Sounds great, Dagger," Blank said with a smile. "I think it suits you. Now we just need to work on your speech. It's too formal. Try to sound more casual, like me or Vivi."

"I shall try…" Dagger replied, pressing her lips together.

"No, no, no…" Blank paused, looking at Vivi. "Just say… 'Alrighty!'"

"A-alrighty…?" Daggered repeated, unsure of herself.

Blank grinned. "You'll get the hang of it eventually. Okay then. Steiner, we'll get some supplies then find a place to hole up until we hear an airship. Just make sure we can get on it and we'll be there when it lands. Got it?"

Steiner nodded, gritting his teeth that he was so easily following orders from a thief. "For the Princess," he said before trotting out of the alley.

Blank nodded after Steiner and smiled towards Dagger as she was hesitantly trying to engage in conversation with Vivi, using a more casual tone of speech. "Yes, Rusty… for the Princess. For Dagger."


	4. Playing Incognito

**Author's Notes: Hi again. I'm surprised that people have seemed to like the story so far! Now that we're really diverting from the original plotline, hopefully I can keep everyone's interest. Adding in history about the game that's never really addressed has been fun and I hope I'm not too far off in my representation. Well, last chapter saw us into the village of Dali, and Garnet a.k.a Dagger has now done something for herself. I like the idea of a growing, empowered Dagger instead of the weak, helpless girl she is for the first three discs. Don't plan on changing her too much, just enough. Hopefully, anyway. Please review if you like the story! Your comments and feedback will help make future chapters even better. **

**Disclaimer: Final Fantasy is not mine. Never will be. Wishful thinking…**

_The Promise_

_Chapter 4: Playing Incognito_

"Excuse me, sir. Can you tell me where the next airship will be going?" Steiner asked, grinding his teeth together in frustration as the old man, Morris, ignored him. "It is a matter of great importance!"

"Who decides whether it's important or not? You?" Morris asked, finally turning around to study the Knight. He scoffed and started a slow limping descent down the stairs of the observatory.

Steiner's gauntleted hands balled into fists but he took a long breath and followed Morris. "Of course it is not up to me to decide what is important or not. There are many others more suited for that. My duty is to serve, and that is what I am doing. Tell me where the ship will be going."

Morris glanced over his shoulder and chuckled. "Can't even take responsibility for what you think is important. If you can't think it's important on your own, how are you supposed to defend that idea?"

"That is not the matter at hand!" Steiner growled, shaking a fist. "I demand you tell me where the airship will be going! Tell meeeeee."

"Heh. You're not good at this persuasion thing," Morris snorted but shrugged as he reached his doorstep. "All of the airships go to Alexandria. The next one should be arriving at sundown."

Steiner saluted and breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, good citizen. You shall be compensated one day for your help."

Morris just shrugged and snapped the door shut in Steiner's face.

_At last. I can return the Princess to Alexandria. The Queen will surely be pleased by this turn of events. _Steiner thought, nodding to himself. _She will just as surely spare the lives of the thief and Master Vivi… they have been integral to the protection of the Princess. _

Steiner shook his head and looked around the open land. "Do not concern yourself with that yet…" he muttered to himself. "Focus now on protecting the Princess. One thing at a time."

***

"Here, change into these," Blank said, crouching down next to Dagger and Vivi. As the least conspicuous member of their group, he had gone into the small village to purchase some clothing for the Princess to change in to, moving further into her disguise as a commoner instead of royalty.

"Thank you, Blank," Dagger breathed out, hesitantly accepting the clothing with a light brush of a finger against the fabric. "I think it will work wonderfully."

Blank gave Dagger a grin and gently nudged Vivi forward to both block the alley and give the Princess some privacy. The tall youth ran his fingers through the growing reddish brown hair and adjusted the leather band looped down over his forehead and one eye.

"Why do you wear that over your eye?" Vivi asked hesitantly.

Blank was silent for a moment, then rubbed his chin. "Because not all people can accept what they see, Vivi," he said slowly, consideringly.

Vivi nodded, "I know," he agreed. "But some people are better than you'd expect. You, Steiner and the Princess have always been nice to me even though I don't belong."

"You belong, Vivi," Blank replied. "That's the difference. You may be different but you definitely belong with us. Seems like it was more than a chance that brought all of us together."

Vivi just looked at Blank in a way that made the thief a bit uncomfortable. As if the black mage saw more than he was supposed to, or what he kept hidden underneath the band. It was something Blank should have recognized, after all. Like will recognize like. There were painful things in Vivi's past, just as there were pained things in Blank's.

"I can't show you now, Vivi," Blank finally said. "But when we get to Lindblum, I'll show you why I keep the band there and even tell you why. Promise."

Vivi nodded energetically, "Thanks, Blank. You can count on me to keep any secret that you may have."

"I know I can." Blank paused in thought. "But I want a promise from you in return." He waited until he had gotten the affirmative nod. "You'll tell me what's eating at you when you're ready. Doesn't necessarily have to be in Lindblum. Deal?" He stuck out a hand to shake.

Something closed up around Vivi but he nodded and reached on gloved hand out to shake Blank's. "Deal." It didn't even occur to him to lie and pretend as though there was nothing wrong.

"Okay you can turn around now," Dagger said softly, smoothing out her clothes. She wore a pair of soft blue leggings tucked into a pair of broken in brown leather boots. A long tunic of misty green covered her torso and ended at the middle of her thigh. The clothing was simple but perfect for travel.

"Perfect," Blank breathed out, studying Dagger closely. He eyed her long black hair with a mingling sense of regret. Like the rest of her previous outfit, it was too obvious as the Princess of Alexandria. She had tied it back in an intricate bun, layers wrapping around other layers. It was complex but impossible to tell just how long her hair was. In other words, perfect for the disguise.

"Wow, Dagger, you don't even look like a Princess anymore!" Vivi said enthusiastically. "Steiner's not going to recognize you."

Dagger blushed and just smoothed out her tunic anxiously. "Are you sure I look alright? I feel so strange."

"Nope, it's great, Dagger," Blank said firmly. "Now, I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

Dagger gave Blank an inquisitive look and nodded. "What could I do for you, Blank?"

"Give me a hair cut?" Blank asked impishly. "We can only do so much right now to disguise ourselves but a haircut could help. Crop it short." He extended his dagger towards the Princess, hilt forward.

"Oh… are you sure, Blank?" Dagger asked, grasping the weapon awkwardly. "I have never done anything like this before."

Blank just grinned. "I have faith in your abilities, Princess," he said lowly. "Pile all of the hair you cut on the stone. Vivi can burn it afterward."

Dagger took a deep breath and stepped in as Blank sank down to his knees. The Princess of Alexandria took a few moments to make a plan of action and then start slowly sawing the hair off with the dagger's sharp blade. Her slim white fingers acted as a comb smoothing the hair this way and that until she finally felt satisfied with the result.

The hair had been cropped short in the back and on the sides. To the front, however, Dagger had left it longer, letting it flop down in front of leather band and over the other eye. When she gently brushed a hand across the band, however, Blank jerked back automatically, lifting a hand up in a protective gesture.

"Sorry, Dagger," Blank said sheepishly, shaking his head. "But thanks for the haircut. It, well… it _feels_ great. What do you think, Vivi?"

Vivi just stared at both of them with his big yellow eyes. "You and Dagger both look really different. No one will ever find us now!"

Blank chuckled, reaching out to take the dagger back and then gently grasp Dagger's wrist in his hand for a moment. "Thank you," he said quietly.

Dagger blushed and nodded, tugging the sleeves of her tunic down to cover any bare skin. "You are welcome, Blank. I should be thanking you for all of the help you have given me since we left Alexandria."

"Think we could get Rusty to have a makeover?" Blank asked jokingly, throwing Vivi a playful look.

The young mage just giggled, but shook his head. "I don't think Steiner would ever wear anything but his armor."

"Vivi is right," Dagger agreed. "He is very firm about always wearing his armor."

"Well, at least everyone can say I tried," Blank said, tossing up his hands in supplication to the sky. "How about we go get something to eat? We should see if we can move through this village without someone recognizing Dagger. Up for playing the peasant girl?" The last part was directed to the Princess.

"I thought we were supposed to stay hidden?" Dagger asked nervously. "I don't think it would be good to be wandering around, especially if Zorn or Thorn start looking. I honestly don't know how long the sleep spell will work on him. He's no mage, but he does have some magic at his disposal."

Blank frowned, raking his hand through the now shortened hair. "Well, damn… guess I get to take another trip to find food for all of us then. You two stay put and stay low."

***

_This is most unfortunate_, Steiner fumed to himself as he stayed out of sight. Even though he wanted to take the Princess back to the palace as swiftly as possible, he had no intention of handing his charge over to Zorn and Thorn. He had been furious when the Princess had told him of her rough treatment by the pair of jesters. He had never thought them fit to be in the presence of the royalty of Alexandria, and this only proved him correct.

"We will be taking command of this next cargo ship," Zorn said sternly.

"Command of the cargo ship we will take," Thorn added.

"It is a matter of great importance!" the jesters said in unison.

"Ship takes care of herself," Morris replied lazily, looking the clowns up and down through the crack of his door. "Don't know why everyone's so antsy about the beat up old girl anyway. Just makes the trek between here and Alexandria three times a week."

"You will obey our commands!" Zorn retorted furiously.

"We will make you regret it if you do not!" Thorn chimed in.

Morris had a twinkle in his eye. "And if you do me in, who'll take care of your ships and make sure the precious cargo gets where it needs to be?"

_Cargo?_ Steiner wondered from his crouched position. _What could the Queen possibly need from this small village? _

"You have not seen the last of us!" Zorn growled.

"The last of us you have not seen!" Thorn agreed.

With a shaking of the first at the old man, the twins ran off in the direction of the Ice Cavern, heads ducked together to whisper possible plan B's.

"What are those two up to…?" Steiner muttered, heaving his bulk to his feet and started to follow them.

The Knight paused, hesitating as he looked back towards Dali. "The Princess needs my protection… no, Blank will protect her should something befall me. I must know what those two fools are plotting and what it has to do with the Princess."

***

"W-what exactly am I eating?" Dagger asked hesitantly, sniffing at the bowl of soup in front of her.

"Do you like it?" Blank replied with a frisky grin.

"Well yes, but I thought I saw an antennae floating in the broth," Dagger said, pointing her spoon towards the bowl.

"If you like it, you probably don't want to know," Blank explained innocently. "Trust me. It goes down easier that way."

The three had seated themselves near the small plot of farmland tended next to the village, allowing themselves to relax. Only one elderly woman was in sight, and she was so busy tending her plot of land that she paid no heed to the trio of strangers enjoying a late afternoon picnic.

"Oglops," Vivi mumbled to himself, taking another big mouthful.

"What did you say, Vivi?" Dagger asked, tilting her head to the side with an expression of curiosity.

Blank clapped a hand down on Vivi's shoulder with enough force to jar the young mage out of his reverie. "He said, wow that's hot. Didn't you, Viv?" he asked with a forced smile.

Vivi looked up at the other two, blinked his big yellow eyes and then nodded. "Oh, uh, yes. It's hot." He laughed nervously and buried his attention back in the soup.

Dagger slanted a dark look at both men, "Riiiight…" There was enough doubt in her voice to make Blank crack up laughing, echoed by Vivi.

"Just eat your soup, Dagger," Blank encouraged, wiping a tear from his eye. "Ignorance is bliss and all that."

Dagger started to reply, but was cut short as her mouth just dropped open in shock. Doors flipped themselves open from the ground and carts started to slowly rise from what seemed to be the grass.

"Get down!" Blank ordered, dropping down to his belly in the long grass. "Vivi. Dagger." He hissed out both names, half forcing the mage to take a mouthful of grass before the next cart arose.

"What's going on?" Vivi asked quietly, adjusting himself to see better. "Where are those carts coming from?"

Dagger gave a startled gasp before clamping a hand over her mouth. Her sharp gaze focused on the insignia of the barrel. "Blank…" she murmured.

_Why doesn't this feel right?_ Dagger thought to herself, pressing her body tighter to the earth, ignoring the rock digging its way into her stomach. _Why do I feel so uneasy about this place and those barrels?_

_Follow the path before you,_ the deep, thundering voice of Bahamut whispered to her before the presence winked out of her conscious mind.

"We must go back to the village," Dagger whispered. "Please."

"Vivi, think you could give them something to focus on for a few minutes?" Blank asked, glancing across to the mage.

Vivi nodded, lifting his hands in an awkward position, focusing on one of the barrels now just standing idly by.

A shout rose up from the group of young men as the barrel burst into flames. Everyone rushed about in a panic, trying to put out the fire and never noticed the trio of wanderers slipping back into the village.

***

"Come out you cowards!" Steiner shouted, feet braced and sword lifted in a defensive position. "I wish to speak with you."

Steiner had tracked the twins back to the Ice Cavern and into a remote corner of the large maze of twisting paths. There was no other way out that he could see and so now he would find the answers he was looking for. If the fools were brave enough to face the Captain of the Knights of Pluto.

"We are cowards?" one voice asked in a malevolent whisper.

"Cowards are we?" the other voice responded, danger lurking in each syllable of the words.

"I command you to reveal yourselves at once," Steiner growled. "Stand and fight if you dare."

"Oh, we dare. But we will not waste our time with you," Zorn said, coming into view.

"Enjoy our little pet project, if _you_ dare," Thorn added, hands moving in a complex nature.

Steiner realized a moment to late that they were summoning something. He dove out of the way before a large spear of ice hit the wall behind where he had been standing. He rolled onto his side, forcing himself back onto his feet to see a large, dark winged creature with glowing red eyes descend upon him with a crackling swoop of magic and rage.

He knew that he was looking the mythical embodiment of evil and death in the face.

***

"Where are you taking us, Dagger?" Blank asked, trailing after the intent Princess, turning now and again to ensure that they weren't being followed and that Vivi was still shadowing his steps.

"Follow the path," Dagger muttered, shaking her head. "Follow the path…"

Vivi tapped Blank's back when they paused to let a group of children pass by. "Is Dagger okay?" he whispered.

Blank shook his head and raked his fingers through his short hair. "Hell if I know…"

Dagger led them on the chase through the small village, up alleys and down back streets before coming out onto the main boulevard just in front of the large windmill and connected building. "Here," she said clearly.

"Ooookay," Blank said, stepping closer to the Princess. "What is here?"

"Answers."


	5. Waltz With Me

**Author's Notes: I am **_**so**_** sorry for disappearing for… what, six months? Would you believe that my classes tried to kill me? Anyway, I'm back and I hypothetically have an easy semester in the spring before I graduate (yay!). And I'll be cranking out some writing over winter break, so hopefully I can make up for this awful neglect. **

_The Promise_

_Chapter 5: Waltz With Me_

"_Where are you taking us, Dagger?" Blank asked, trailing after the intent Princess, turning now and again to ensure that they weren't being followed and that Vivi was still shadowing his steps._

"_Follow the path," Dagger muttered, shaking her head. "Follow the path…"_

_Vivi tapped Blank's back when they paused to let a group of children pass by. "Is Dagger okay?" he whispered._

_ Blank shook his head and raked his fingers through his short hair. "Hell if I know…"_

_Dagger led them on the chase through the small village, up alleys and down back streets before coming out onto the main boulevard just in front of the large windmill and connected building. "Here," she said clearly._

"_Ooookay," Blank said, stepping closer to the Princess. "What is here?"_

"_Answers."_

Vivi and Blank shared a confused look but the tall thief shrugged and pushed the door open for the other two to follow him in. It was an empty room stacked high with broken machinery and crates. Towards the back of was a rickety ladder leading up to the windmill. To the immediate left was a large hatch.

"Wow, they sure didn't try to hide that," Blank chuckled, kneeling next to the hatch to examine it closer.

"We have to go down there," Dagger said quietly. "Please, Blank."

Vivi hesitated and then walked over to the hatch, lightly touching the metal. "I want to go down, too. I don't know why. It just feels important."

Blank nodded, "Looks like I'm outnumbered but we need to be careful. From the looks of the people coming from underground, the majority of the village is down there and they might not take kindly to strangers wandering around. I'll go down first, then Vivi and then you, Dagger. If I say go, you climb back up the ladder as fast as you can and get out of this village, you understand?"

Dagger scowled but nodded. "Yes, Blank."

The thief breathed out a slow sigh and popped the hatch open, kneeling to climb down. It was dank and dark below him but he kept going down until he hopped onto the ground. It was solidly built, not what one would expect from underground.

Vivi and then Dagger appeared behind him, looking around with interest.

"Which way do we go?" Vivi asked, shifting nervously.

"That way," Dagger replied before Blank could open his mouth. She pointed down the long corridor, a halo of pure amber highlighting the usual coffee brown of her iris.

"What's gotten in to you?" Blank muttered, flexing his fingers over the hilt of his sword. "This is really dangerous. If we get caught, you're as good as back in Alexandria."

Dagger just shook her head, pacing her way down the darkened hallway, her eyes focused ahead of them.

The trio moved in silence through the twisting corridors until suddenly Dagger came to a halt, staring at the insignia of a large barrel. Its width easily engulfed three human bodies standing comfortably next to each other while the height was well over Blank's head.

Vivi opened his mouth to say something but was quickly silenced as voices could be heard on the other side of the barrel. The three crouched down, pressing their backs to the wall in an effort to hide themselves from view.

"Can't believe those clowns are taking control of the cargo ship," one voice fumed.

"Order of the Queen, apparently," the other voice responded, though it sounded doubtful.

"Waltzed in here with one of them in tow. Not even our model. Something special. The nerve of those people, flaunting someone else's work."

"Didja see that guy they had with them. Looked in pretty rough shape."

"Oh, you mean that guy with the rusty old armor? Thought he was running around the village earlier with some kids."

Blank and Dagger shared a worried look. _Steiner?_ Dagger mouthed to her two companions, frowning darkly. Blank just shook his head and pressed a finger to his lips, leaning closer to the barrel to try and hear better.

"-taking off a bit earlier than we planned. Now we have to hurry to get everything in order for the airship."

"Yeah. We better get going."

There was the sound of chairs scraping against a dirt floor before two shadows flitted across the opposing wall. The voices continued to speak and grumble as they just faded down the corridor.

Dagger immediately turned to Blank and Vivi, troubled expression plastered across her features. "Do you think they have Steiner?"

"Sure sounds like it," Blank replied. "And if they have Steiner, you can bet they'll be looking for you next. We have to be extra careful."

"Shouldn't we rescue him?" Vivi asked.

Blank should his head. "Steiner wanted us to protect Dagger at all costs. He would understand us not rescuing him in order to keep her safe."

"But… Blank…." Dagger murmured helplessly. "It sounded as though he had already been harmed. We must do something."

Blank gave Dagger a stern look. "No. Right now, we need to focus more on keeping you safe. I said I'd see you safely to Lindblum and that's what I plan to do. Now we just need to decide if we really want to stow away on the cargo ship and make a run for the border or not. Either way will be dangerous, so you should be the one to decide."

Dagger seemed prepared to argue the point of Steiner but instead sighed, twisting her fingers together in front of her. "They said that Zorn and Thorn were taking possession of the airship," she mused slowly. "I feel it would be wiser if we try to find another way into Lindblum."

"You're probably right," Blank agreed. "It's too risky to use the air ship. South Gate will take us into Lindblum. I think it's technically closed down right now but we'll find a way through."

Vivi shifted back and forth nervously on his feet, "Uh, guys…"

Dagger and Blank had their heads bent together as they consulted the continental map.

"Um, _guys_," Vivi said again, his voice a little louder with no response.

"Guys!" the black mage said loudly as a young man in his late teens came strolling around the corner, whistling to himself.

Dagger and Blank both jumped in surprise, the latter reaching for his blade, but before he could even unsheathe the weapon, Vivi sent a fire spell right by him.

The youth, caught completely unaware gave a little shriek and went running in a circle before smacking into the wall. He fell to the ground, out cold.

"Someone was coming," Vivi said simply, the power still crackling in his hands from the summoned spell.

Blank grinned sheepishly and hurried over to drag the youth out of the middle of the passage.

"Dagger, get the lid off of that barrel," Blank instructed. "Vivi, you give me a hand here."

Together, the two young men tugged the unconscious man to the side of the barrel and hoisted him inside.

"Do you think he'll be alright in there?" Dagger asked worriedly. "That he will be able to breathe?"

"You see the small holes on the top. He'll get plenty of air through the ventilation," Blank said, pointing to the rim of the barrel. "And wood is not an airtight material. He'll be fine, just a bit charred from Vivi's spell."

Dagger nodded, smiling thinly. She pointed to the map clasped loosely in Blank's hand. "Is it the least bit unusual that these barrels are the perfect size to hold a man?" she asked, wrapping her gloved knuckles gently on the wood.

Blank gave a cocky grin, "You're worrying too much, Dagger. This place gets by on shipping out goods. It makes sense that they'd want to make the barrels as large as possible."

Vivi cleared his throat, adjusting the brim of his wide hat. "I think we should keep going, or else someone else might find us." He pointed down the hallway, stacked high with crates and barrels. "Do we go this way, or go back the way we came?"

"We keep going," Dagger directed. "I believe there should be an exit further down. One that will take us out of the village all together."

Blank nodded, and moved forward, though was muttering under his breath, "How she knows these things, I'll never know…"

* * *

"Where is the Princess?" Zorn asked, glaring at the beaten and bruised face of Steiner. The knight was tied to a chair, hands bound tightly behind his back.

"Tell us now," Thorn added. He shook a first at the large knight, the white painted face fuming.

Steiner shook his head, "Never. It is a knight's duty to protect the Princess. You'll have to kill me before I ever betray my Princess."

Zorn and Thorn both smiled. There was a malicious glee in their looks, a frightening gleam to their dark eyes that make Steiner take in a ragged, pained breath.

"Black Waltz, find the Princess," Zorn ordered.

"Destroy anyone with her," Thorn continued.

"And bring her back to us!" the jester twins said together.

Out of the shadows came a red-eyed monster, feathered wings spreading slowly. Though there was no face to gather emotion, the air tasted of cruel pleasure.

* * *

"Is that a machine running on Mist?" Dagger asked. Her head tilted slightly to the side as she studied the contraption.

Blank learned in to get a closer look. "Yeah, looks like the Mist engine that we had on the theater ship." He paused, leaning even further in. "Is that… are they making eggs?"

Dagger pointed to the narrow passageway next to the machine. "Let's keep going, or else someone might find us."

The trio moved onward, but a noise from the machine made Blank pause halfway through. "Are… are those eggs hatching?" He made a thoughtful murmur but continued onward a few steps behind Dagger and Vivi.

"Ahh, what is this?" Vivi's voice was shaking with shock and terror to the point that Blank ran to catch up. The small mage was pointing ahead of him, trembling.

Dagger's hands reached up, clasped over her mouth in horror. "How could… Mother…."

Blank stopped, staring at the ghastly scene. They looked like dolls. Large, human sized dolls. Though some parts were different, in essence, they looked like Vivi. But, wouldn't that make Vivi also…? The thief shook his head, trying to shake free of the dark foreboding that had settled over him. It was too much to take in. He was just a small time thief working on a theater ship. This wasn't supposed to be his journey. He was the friend, the sidekick. Zidane had always been the one to take the spotlight, to have the plan, to be the hero. He was everything Blank wasn't, but, for better or worse, it wasn't Blank trapped in the Evil Forest.

Footsteps coming down the corridor alerted Blank, making him look back. "Dagger… Vivi…" he whispered, but both were lost in their own thoughts, trapped by the horrors in front of them. With their unresponsiveness, he grabbed Vivi's hand and slung the Princess of Alexandria unceremoniously over his shoulder, pulling them away from the sound. Through the doorway, and directly into the middle of a work shift.

Everyone stopped and stared at the unusual trio, but something clicked and a young man jumped forward. "That's the group those clowns were looking for!"

The villagers moved as one group, pressing in on the trio.

"Stop!" Dagger shouted, her hands raised in supplication.

Blank winced, tightening his hand on Vivi's while trying to avoid squeezing any inappropriate spots on Dagger's body. To his surprise, everyone in the room did stop.

"What happened?" Vivi asked shakily. "They aren't moving."

Blank slowly set Dagger down before walking over to one youth, waving a hand in front of his face. "Dagger cast a spell on them," he said, letting out a whistle of appreciation. "And some spell it was. She stopped the entire room dead in their tracks."

Dagger looked around her – face pale and drawn. The magic casting of the day was more than she was used to and it was slowly starting to take its toll. "We need to keep going," she whispered tiredly, pointing to the next door that they would need to march through.

* * *

"Oh, finally! Fresh air," Dagger said, breathing in relief.

The small group climbed free of the underground business, moving as far away from the opening in the ground as they could without losing sight of it. Vivi had not spoken a word since they had since his replicas.

"We should rest for a few minutes before carrying on. We should try to make it to South Gate as quickly as possible." Blank said, dropping down on the ground. It seemed impossible that only a few short hours ago, they had been sitting, like they were now, eating a relaxing meal and just waiting for something to happen.

"Rest is for the unworthy," A high, raspy voice intoned behind them.

The group was on their feet, whipping around to face the new threat and came face to face with glowing red eyes, a tall, steepled hat and black feathered wings.

"I am the Black Waltz," the creature said. "I will escort the Princess back to the castle and destroy anyone in my way."

"Not a chance," Blank snarled, unsheathing his sword angrily. "You won't be doing anything but feeding the worms."

Vivi, as life sprang back into him, nodded. "Yeah. We won't let you take Dagger anywhere she doesn't want to go."

Dagger, on the other hand, took a few steps forward, a hand reaching out to touch the jewel at her neck. "My mother sent you? Why? I have no wish to return to the Palace."

"My orders are to return the Princess to the castle and destroy anyone who is in my way," the Black Waltz replied. He turned away, wings flapping as he leapt into the air. "Sealion!" he bellowed. "Come to me."

From the grassy earth opened a large, icy ring that destroyed the fragile plant life around it. Up from the unknown depths rose a large creature – a monster – Sealion. The defending party all took a step back in surprise but as Blank tightened his grip on his sword, he gave his companions a confident smile.

"Let's do this," is all Blank said.

The other two nodded and brought their weapons to an attack position, awaiting commands.

The Black Waltz cackled, "You'll never defeat me!" he said triumphantly. "Sealion, destroy them."

Vivi trembled but held strong, looking over at Blank for orders. There was trust and a need burning in the young mage's eyes. He needed the comfort of knowing Blank knew what he was doing, that he could bring them safely through another battle.

Dagger, too, needed to know that she would survive this fight, wouldn't fail and be dragged back to Alexandria without ever knowing the full extent of her skills.

_You do not fight alone, little one,_ the drumming voice of Bahamut whispered in her mind. _The will protect you, just as you fight to protect them. Trust in your teammates. _

The words of advice echoed once, then disappeared, along with the King of the Dragons presence in her mind.

Blank, whatever thoughts were going through his mind, were pushed back, his blade pointing toward the earth. "Dagger, set us up with defensive spells. Vivi, put all your power into taking that overgrown tadpole down. The Black Waltz is mine."

Both white and black mage nodded as they were given their orders, concentrating on providing the strongest spells they could. Magic crackled around the battle site, both from them and the Black Waltz who was now sending Blizzard after Blizzard spell at Blank. He had obviously identified the thief as the leader and was working as rapidly as possible to take him out of the picture.

Blank, however, ignored the freezing pain that repeatedly shot up his side, instead fending off the blasts as he struck his sword out at the Black Waltz, fraying already tattered clothing, defeathering those glossy black wings.

"Blank, look out!" cried Vivi as the little mage dove to the side. Sealion made a fast slithering attack on Blank's blind side, vicious talons raised for a killing blow. The fire spell cast from Vivi's trembling hands didn't have enough power to distract the monster from its goal and all the black mage could do was watch.

"No!" Dagger shouted, casting Protect on Blank. Even she knew the spell wouldn't hold up under such an enraged attack, just give a few extra moments to try and come up with a better solution. "Help me," she pleaded with the sky.

The sky immediately darkened, clouds whirling around their chosen battlefield. For a moment, Dagger stopped, paralyzed by her own shock. No great Eidolon appeared, but she hadn't truly summoned one. Had she? The sky opened up and large balls of unquenchable fire rained down on both the Black Waltz and the Sealion. Bahamut was sending his power without actually appearing. Not that Dagger thought she could hold up under the power required for a full summoning yet.

Even the strain of this half summon was taking its toll on the fledgling white mage. As the attack dissipated, the Black Waltz looked on the verge of death and the Sealion had already faltered, the body breaking down as the magic used to create the monster swirled up into the sky.

"You… may have… defeated me, but there are… two more," the Waltz rasped, the clawed hand shaking as it pointed directly at Blank.

All three of the group were shaken, remaining on defense as the Black Waltz finally collapsed and the shell returned to the earth. Like the Sealion, unrestrained magic fled back to the heavens.

"Two more of these?" Blank muttered, letting out a heavy breath. "This trip is definitely more interesting than I anticipated. Right, guys?" He turned when he didn't hear a response. "Guys?"

"Blank! Something's wrong with Dagger," Vivi said fretfully, kneeling next to the Princess. Sometime during the Black Waltz's farewell warning, she had collapsed in a broken heap. Her breathing was shallow but even, a promise that she would recover.

"Damn, we need to put some distance between us and here, before someone comes looking," Blank muttered, bending to scoop up Dagger's light body. "Let's head South, Vivi. Toward the Gate into Lindblum territory. I'm counting on you to protect us, since I have to carry Dagger."

Vivi nodded energetically. "You can count on me. But… will Dagger be okay?"

"We can only hope."


	6. Dark Streets of Treno

**Author's Notes: I decided to start this back up again. At the rate I'm going, I may finally finish this story in about 2015…**

**Disclaimer: Final Fantasy is not mine, etc. **

_The Promise_

_Chapter 6: Dark Streets of Treno_

"Is she ever gonna wake up?" Vivi asked fretfully. Darkness had already befallen them as Blank set up camp. After their defeat of the Black Waltz, they'd taken off as quickly as they could to get as far from Dali as possible. Who knew where the clowns had gone or when they would be back.

"Don't worry, Vivi, she's just really tired. She'll wake up again soon. Whatever kind of magic she pulled was a little more than she could handle, I think," Blank said, pausing in the set up of their tent to look down at the exhausted princess. It was true. The amount of power that had been in the air had literally made his hair stand on end. Whatever was beneath the surface for the Princess of Alexandria was dangerous. It made him feel a little uneasy. What would happen if someone ever turned her from her sweet nature and molded her into something evil?

Her enemies would never survive it.

Blank knelt down next to Dagger, taking her hand in his. But she could never be anything that she wasn't. And she was one of the kindest people he had ever met. Nothing would ever change that. Right? After all, he'd heard strange rumors about the Queen… but best not to ever go there.

"Blank…" Dagger's voice was soft as her dark eyes opened.

His heart sped up a little, hearing his name spoken with such trust in it.

"Right here, Dagger," he replied earnestly, squeezing her hand. "You okay?"

The girl thought for a moment before providing a weak smile. "Just tired. And hungry. Do you think there's anything to eat?"

Blank offered one more squeeze of her hand before standing. "Coming right up, Your Highness!" he said, bowing with a flourish. As he turned to rustle through their food pack, he spoke again. "We're several miles from Dali now. Heading for Treno. I think we'll have the best luck there trying to get a ride to Lindblum. I've got some connections that could smuggle us through the border checkpoints."

Dagger began to sit up, wrapping a blanket that Vivi had offered as she listened to the plan. "Treno… there are a great many possibilities in Treno," she agreed. "But aren't you worried that someone there could recognize me? A great number of the nobility from Treno have been to the Castle in Alexandria and to court."

"It's definitely a risk," Blank agreed. "But we might be better off avoiding those sections of town entirely. Go incognito. Besides, you're not the same girl you were when you left the Castle. Just look at how far you've come. They wouldn't recognize you, even if you jumped up and down right in front of them, screaming like Rusty." As soon as he spoke the words, though, he regretted it.

"Steiner… do… do you think he's alright?" Dagger asked in a small voice.

Blank took his time in answering, instead focused on pulling some dried meat and some bread together and bringing it back to Dagger. "I think that if anyone can survive what's coming, it would be Steiner," he said. "Besides, doesn't he work for your mother? If anything, we'll be seeing him in a few weeks, screaming that we didn't wait for him and everything will be right as rain."

Dagger smiled. "I do hope that you're right, Blank."

X.X.X

The group stood on the edge of a long cliff, staring down at the mist-filled ravine, and then across to the dancing lights of what would be Treno.

"So… how exactly do you plan to get us across?" Dagger asked, amusement filling her eyes.

"I'm getting there," Blank muttered. He knelt down, peering carefully over the edge. It was steep, to be sure, but with enough patience, they could easily climb down and then up the other side.

"I don't like heights," Vivi protested.

Dagger seemed uneasy herself. "Perhaps there is a better way," she said hopefully. "One that doesn't involve us tumbling to our deaths, please?"

Vivi thought hard, trying to remember all of the lessons his Grandfather had taught him about the area.

"_Long ago, before the armies of Alexandria conquered everything, and we were ruled by one person, the towns and villages survived on their own." _

"_How could they do that?" _

"_Trade, my boy. Our economic systems are our way of life. Even today they're very important. Without it, how could we get what we need but don't have? Treno was one of the leading cities because they did whatever it took to get what they needed, sometimes taking secret routes through the mountains and over cliffs to reach their destination. _

"_Legend has it that on the far plains at dusk, you could sometimes see entire wagons disappear into the very rocks themselves, all of them weighed down with cargo. It got to the point that they thought the area was haunted by the spirits of long departed settlers that would never be at peace until they found land to call their own. But everyone with a brain knew that it was really smugglers trying to get their black market goods to Treno where they could sell them for a profit." _

"_Do you believe it really existed, Grandpa?" _

"_I do. They called it Ghost Wanderers Passage. Men I knew swore that the Passage really was haunted after a massacre that took place by the Queen's guards about twenty years ago. The men tried to hide from soldiers in the passage but were caught on both ends. Not a one of them survived…" _

"Ghost Wanderers Passage!" Vivi said with a start, blinking out of his memory.

Both Dagger and Blank stopped and stared at the young boy in confusion. "Ghost Wanderers Passage?" Dagger asked. "I've never heard of it, and I thought I knew Alexandria territory inside and out."

"What's Ghost Wanderers Passage?" Blank asked, already unfurling his map and bringing it closer to the light.

"It's a place my Grandfather told me about," Vivi explained. "I think we can get across to Treno through there…"

X.X.X

The passage was dark, damp and so very abandoned. Dust lifted with each step the trio took. It was at the far end that they could see the rosy sky of the eternal dusk that always surrounded Treno.

As Vivi first stepped in, he shivered. Maybe the place really was haunted, but he didn't want to say it in front of anyone else. "Let's get through as fast as we can," he suggested. "It feels like something's watching us."

"But maybe something is…" A cavernous voice echoed down the passage.

"Shit," Blank whispered. They were in the middle of a cramped space, without much room to run if needed. It was an absolutely terrible place to get into a fight and everyone knew it. Vivi wouldn't be able to fling his spells without risking hurting someone else.

Dagger backed up a little, right into one of the side walls. "Blank…" she whispered. "What's that?"

One end of the tunnel became blotted out by dark feathers and dark glowing red eyes.

"Dagger, get back!" Blank shouted as his sword came out from its sheath. "It's another one of those damned Black Waltzes." He felt a moment of panic. How were they going to survive this one?

The dark wings flared and they found themselves confronted with the second of the Black Waltzes, stronger and faster than the last. Also more cruel, Blank noticed. He feared what they would mean for the third and final one when they came across it.

"You will be destroyed!" The Waltz thundered as it lifted its hands, sending rapid-fire Fira spells at the group. It did not even seem to notice that some of those spells bounced dangerously close to Dagger.

Blank's head whipped around as he heard Dagger cry out, a burn blistering across her pale skin. The Waltz just cackled. "You will all die and then, Princess, you will be taken back to the Castle."

Anger began to well up inside of Blank. It was hot and angry. His fury for everything that had happened since he had left the company of Tantalus. His best friend was gone. He'd let down one of his teammates. Dagger was in danger again. There was so much bearing down on him. Could he even manage to survive the next ten minutes?

A bright light began to flood the small tunnel and it took a moment for Blank to realize that it was coming from him.

"W-w-what's that light?!" Vivi asked fearfully, hopping back a few steps, spell caught on the edge of his fingers.

"It's Trance! I've read about it," Dagger said excitedly, even as she clutched at her wound. "It happens when the person feels a strong emotion that it gives them access to more strength."

Blank could feel the power rushing through him. It was like a huge adrenaline rush but different. He had always considered himself a proficient fighter, but this seemed to put him on a different level. Reaching deep within himself, he charged at the Waltz, bringing the sharp blade up in a quick series of movements with a speed that he never could have achieved on his own.

The Black Waltz never stood a chance against something so powerful.

"You… you will be destroyed," it coughed out. "The third is the most powerful of us all…"

All three looked to each other with concern. "Why are they always so ominous as they die?" Blank asked with a sigh. "Can't they just croak like a normal person? Let's keep going so number three doesn't catch us in here."

X.X.X

As they pushed through the gates of Treno, Dagger took in a deep breath. It had been many years since she had last been here. Since she was a child and her father brought her here to rub elbows with the nobility of the area. _You'll one day find your place amongst them_, he had promised. When she would become Queen.

"Stay close to me, guys," Blank said quietly, keeping one hand on Vivi's shoulder and the other drawing Dagger away from a half-drunk man staggering his way out of town. "We'll head straight to the safehouse so you two can stay out of sight while I check with some of my contacts."

Right in front of her eyes, Dagger was able to see the transformation from the beautiful, breathtaking architecture that she had always associated with Treno, to the rough slums that could barely support or contain itself with the number of people shoved into the crowded streets. "Blank, this is terrible…" she whispered into the thief's ear. "How could people live like this?"

"It's not a choice, Dagger," Blank replied with a grim look and keeping his gaze in front of them. His hand tightened on Dagger's arm, drawing her closer. "The wealthy make sure the poor don't interfere with their beautiful homes and lazy lifestyle."

Dagger started to protest again, but the look in her guide's eye made her stop short. Were things like this in Alexandria as well? Was there even a small portion of her people suffering like these were? She would not have it.

Blank stopped in front of one of the rickety houses, pounding on the door three times.

"Name," was the gruff reply, a small window in the door opening to reveal two golden eyes.

"Blank."

"Password."

"Are you kidding me?"

"_Password!"_

Blank sighed. He cleared his throat and took a step back, raising one hand to the skies. "No cloud, no squall shall hinder us!"

In the background, Dagger couldn't help but giggle at the quotation from _I Want to be Your Canary._ Blank tossed her a less than amused look but held his tongue, waiting for the guard to open.

"That wasn't funny, Zantos," Blank growled as the group was escorted inside. It was rough, but clean and simple. "We need transportation back to Lindblum. We have anyone heading in that direction soon?"

"What's in Lindblum, boy?" a thundering voice halfway shook the house, making Blank wince. He turned slowly and bowed his head down in deference. "Boss. Boy am I glad to see you all." A brief hesitation. "What are you doing here in Treno? I would have figured you for being in Lindblum."

The leader of Tantalus, Baku, shook his whole body, like a dog removing water and clapped a heavy hand down on Blank's shoulder, almost making the tall youth collapse under its sheer strength. "Let's talk in private, boy. Leave your Princess-" He thankfully did not comment on why the girl was still with him, "And little mage friend in the back room to get some rest."

Blank nodded. "Dagger, Vivi, go get some rest. You're gonna be safe here," he promised, touching both of their arms. "The boys here will protect you no matter what, so rest easy."

Dagger frowned, her gloved hands twisting anxiously together. "Blank…" she uttered slowly before being cut off.

"It's fine. Just stay here. Please," Blank interjected, sighing in relief as she nodded the affirmative.

X.X.X

"Hell's Bells, boy. What are you doing, carting those two around?" Baku growled as they tramped through the winding dark alleys on the slum-side of Treno. "We figured you lost with Zidane in the Evil Forest when you didn't meet up at the rendezvous. Sure, she's a damn fine piece of ass, but you oughta know better than that."

Blank immediately bristled under the comment about Dagger, but he shook his head. "I made a promise to both Zidane and Dagger that I'd see her safely to Lindblum. I had to see that through, Boss. No matter how bad you'd kick my ass when I got back. But why are you here?"

Baku gave a grim smile. "We've been doing research on curing Zidane," he explained. "Rumor has it that an item called the Supersoft will heal him without reawakening the Evil Forest. Some hoity toity here in town is supposed to have it. Some Doctor fellow."

"I want in," Blank said immediately. "Zidane was a brother. Dagger will understand if we delay our trip a few days so I can do this."

Baku's shaggy brows raised. "You're still planning on taking this girl all the way? We can arrange transportation for her with our crew. But your place is with us, Blank. Can't let you go wandering off whenever you want."

Panic rose deep inside Blank. He'd always just assumed that he was going to be with Dagger and hadn't even considered what would happen after Lindblum. All he knew was that he felt better when he was near her and lost when he wasn't. Now suddenly there was the chance that he might be separated from her.

"No," he said firmly. "I'm sorry, Boss, but I can't leave her."

"Boy, think about what you're saying," Baku warned with more concern than anger under his voice. "You're getting dangerously close to saying that you're quitting th gang." His meaty arms crossed over his enormous gut. It wasn't so much that Baku was fat (even though he kind of was), but that he was so incredibly large. Weight. Size. Height. All of it. It was a rather intimidating presence at times.

"I have thought about it," Blank replied. He was six feet tall and somehow he still felt short next to Baku. But this wouldn't dissuade him. "Tantalus is my family. You brought me in and gave me a home when there was nothing else, and I'll always be grateful to you for it, but Dagger…" He shook his head. "I can't explain it."

Baku sighed. "Figured as much. But you know the drill, boy. Whenever you leave, you gotta fight me and win."

Blank rubbed at the back of his neck. He'd never been as good of a fighter as Zidane, who was the only one who'd ever been able to defeat Baku. "How about a compromise, Boss. Let me get the Supersoft. I do it and you let me go. I fail and I'll stay with the gang."

Baku stroked his bright red moustache in consideration before he nodded, slapping Blank on the back again. "Deal!" he barked out with a deep belly laugh.

With a grunt, Blank nodded and silently thanked his stars. Zidane might have been the better fighter but Blank was the better thief. "Just point me in the right direction and I'll get the Supersoft," he promised.

X.X.X

Blank sat at the café, reviewing the menu and enjoying a cup of coffee. It had been way too long since he'd been able to just sit and enjoy city life. For the moment, he'd changed from his battle attire and into the only decent clothes Tantalus had been able to scrape together in his size. A white silken shirt hang off his muscular frame with the top few buttons left undone and black leather pants. It was simple and he still didn't fit in to this kind of crowd, but at least he didn't stick out like a sore thumb.

"Can I get you anything, sir?" the waitress asked, gliding by yet again to try and capture his attention. She was young and pretty but Blank just didn't have the time or interest to deal with her.

"Special," Blank ordered absently. His attention was focused on a large stone tower that was just across the water. It stretched up into the night sky with the very top capped with a glass ceiling and a large scope poking out.

"Two specialis," the soft voice ordered from behind Blank. Dagger passed by and sat down opposite him. At least he thought it was Dagger. She had changed so much that he felt uncomfortable just being near her.

She looked every inch a noble of Treno in a silken green and white gown that belled out from her small waist and a wide brimmed green hat that swooped down to cast her face in a shadow. The Princess' long black hair was a cascade of dark curls spilling over the pale white skin left open at her shoulders and chest.

Blank's mouth was dry as he stared at her, suddenly aware of just how beautiful she was. "I-uh… what are you doing here?" he stammered, trying to get his brain to start thinking again. "Dagger… I mean, wow. You look… well… uh…"

A soft smile curved Dagger's lips as she looked across to Blank. "You as well, kind sir," she said softly. The waitress was still lingering, eying her sudden competition up and down. At least until the Princess passed a cool, dismissive look in her direction. And then the girl scurried off to fulfill their orders as quickly as possible.

"What are you doing here?" Blank repeated.

"I followed you," Dagger admitted. "You and Baku. I heard everything. Let me help you, Blank."

Blank's brows rose. He was suitably impressed that she had grown so much that she was able to follow them through the most dangerous streets of Treno without ever being detected. The student had truly become a master. "How do you think you can help?" he asked mildly. "You've learned a lot, Dagger, but let's face it. You're no thief."

Dagger laughed softly, its sound making Blank's heart beat even faster. "I'm not a thief," she agreed. "But you've been staring at the tower of a highly respected doctor, from what I have learned. I thought that perhaps we could simply approach him as a wealthy pair looking for rare items and at least ensure that he _has_ the item before you break in."

"Color me impressed," Blank said admiringly. "You really have learned a lot, Dagger. That's actually a very smart plan." He smiled, reaching out to take her hand. "Why do you want to help with this though? You're…" His voice dropped. "You're a Princess. You shouldn't be letting yourself get caught up in this kind of business."

"You… you saved me," Dagger replied. "Not only in the Evil Forest and the Ice Cavern and Dali... You've saved me again and again from physical danger, but you also saved me from myself. You introduced me to a whole other person I could be. You've taught me and been patient and Blank… I just couldn't imagine you not being there with me all the way to Lindblum. It's selfish, I know, but I don't want you to leave me just yet." She stopped short, cheeks flushing. "I-I-I mean that you're advice has been invaluable and your friendship is quite important to me," she backtracked.

But it still made Blank smile and squeeze her hand in return. "Your friendship is important to me as well," he said. "But let's just put that behind us for now and focus on having a nice meal and then getting the Supersoft to save Zidane."

X.X.X

"Stop fiddling," Dagger hissed under her breath as she held on to Blank's arm as they waited on the steps outside the tower. They had rung the bell and now had to see if the good doctor would reply.

Blank just grunted and readjusted the collar of the jacket Dagger had procured and insisted he wear.

The door swung open and a small owl-like creature answered. "Yes?" he inquired, adjusting thick frames on the bridge of his beak.

"Doctor Tot!" Dagger gasped, immediately stepped forward to hug the man.

"P-p-princess Garnet! What are you doing in Treno?" the Doctor asked, clearly flustered and confused. He glanced aside to Blank with more confusion before he gestured. "Come in, please. Before anyone sees you."

He escorted them inside and up the many flights of stairs to his observatory, gesturing to seats as he fussed over drinks and a few snacks. All the while Dagger and Blank were just staring all around them in complete awe. The majority of the room was taken up by a large broken globe that housed a huge telescope that pointed up to the stars.

As Doctor Tot finally returned, he set food and drinks before them and then hoisted himself into his favored armchair. "Now, Princess, tell me what you're doing here. The last word I heard from Alexandria was that you had been kidnapped by thieves on the celebration of your birthday." His eyes skipped over to Blank and held steady.

"Ah, well… that is true to a point, Doctor Tot," Dagger admitted. "But I asked them to. I had to get to Lindblum. Still do, in fact. We came here to Treno to find a way of getting to Lindblum. However we have another task before us now. We must find the Supersoft. People have said that you have it."

Tot chuckled. "Oh, my dear girl, you have not changed in the least bit." He listened earnestly during her speech but nodded on its completion. "Yes, I do own the Supersoft," he admitted. "And I would even be willing to part with it, but at a cost."

"We have money," Dagger said immediately. "We would not wish to take it from you without seeing that you were compensated."

Blank winced a little but stayed silent. This was clearly Dagger's arena and not his.

"No, no, my dear girl. You mistake me," Tot replied. "I would not seek money from you, Your Highness. What was it that I always taught you as a child?"

Dagger considered for a long moment. "Knowledge is power," she finally said.

Tot nodded. "Yes, knowledge is power. And in this case, I seek knowledge from you. Tell me why you so desperately need to get to Lindblum and I will give you the Supersoft."

Blank subconsciously leaned forward himself. He had risked his life time and time again on this journey to get her to Lindblum and now, embarrassingly, he realized he still didn't know the real reason behind needing to get there.

"Very well…" Dagger murmured quietly, gathering her hands into her lap and staring down at them. "Doctor Tot, you have seen that Mother has been changing over the past few years," she began. "It was why you left the Castle yourself."

Tot nodded his agreement.

"I cannot go into too much detail yet for all I have is conjecture, but she is not herself any longer," Dagger said with a heavy sigh. "She is no longer the kind, sweet woman that the entire populace of Alexandria loved so dearly."

"The death of your father hit her quite hard, Your Highness," Tot pointed out gently. "They loved each other very much and she certainly felt lost without him."

Dagger shook her head. "It is far more than that," she said. "I know that Mother grieved for Father, just as I did, but… there has been another man at the Castle and he has changed her. I need to reach Lindblum to get help. Or at least warn them of what could end up happening if nothing is done soon. It is my duty as a Princess."

Tot's head bowed down in silence. He studied the floor, unable to find the correct words for the longest time. "Go safely, Your Highness. And with the Supersoft. I fear you will need everything that you can get for this. And do be careful. I would not wish anything to happen to you."

Dagger let out a sigh in relief. There was still much that she had not said about her trip to Lindblum and she was thankful that Tot had not pressed her any further on the matter. "Thank you, Doctor Tot," she said softly. "I will never forget this."

X.X.X

"Save Zidane, Boss," Blank implored as he stood at the entrance of the safehouse, Dagger and Vivi right behind him. The party was completely restocked with food and supplies to get them to their next destination and even further. They were going to be smuggled on to an airship headed for Lindblum in the next hour.

Baku just grunted. "Don't need to tell me twice, boy. We're gonna get it done. Already sent Marcus with the Supersoft toward the Evil Forest. We can only hope that it will work and the stories aren't a load of crap."

"Thank you, Mr. Baku," Dagger said, bowing before the leader of Tantalus. "I will forever be in your debt. Not one, but two of your men have saved my life and I will always be grateful."

Their goodbyes were short before Blank pulled them all back out. It was time for them to head on. Because their next stop was Lindblum. Their journey was finally coming to an end.


End file.
